Cities (or "sub-nationals," in international climate negotiations-speak) are at the vanguard of where real climate solutions are being implemented around the world. That will remain true in the years ahead, no matter how ambitious an agreement emerges from the COP21 climate talks in Paris this month--local and state governments will be shouldering much of the load of creative carbon emissions reduction, of energy efficiency improvements, and of access to renewable energy.
On the eve of the Paris climate talks, Climate Solutions hosted a telebriefing featuring four experts on cities' responses to the climate crisis. KC Golden is Climate Solutions' Senior Policy Advisor, and is representing us in Paris; Portland Mayor Charlie Hales and Brett Phillips (of Unico and the 2030 District Network) described why city leaders' perspectives are so important to national and international policy debates (see Hales' remarks below), Finally, New Energy Cities Project Manager Elizabeth Willmott shared a summary and useful data from her new report, The Urban Clean Energy Revolution. Watch and listen below!
